48 | Michelle's switch from hospital to homebirth VBAC following an Emergency Caesarean; Public Hospitals, Private Midwife, Cervical Lip, Postpartum Haemorrhage, Perinatal Anxiety
VBAC Birth StoriesShow Notes
Welcome to Season 3 of VBAC Birth Stories!
In today's episode we chat to Melbourne mum of two and registered nurse, Michelle. Michelle went into spontaneous labour with her first child but was recommended to have an emergency caesarean close to the finish line of her labour, but Michelle wouldn’t say it was a true "emergency" in the sense of the word. Michelle returned to hospital in her second pregnancy but did not feel supported in her quest to have a VBAC - this coupled with a bit of perinatal anxiety and covid hospital restrictions Michelle took control of her second birth in the final trimester, and ultimately hired a private midwife to birth her baby boy at home. She speaks of the challenges with her recovery after having a VBAC too which is very insightful, and we thank Michelle for her honesty.
We hope you enjoy listening to Michelle’s story, we know there’s a lot to take away from her journey whether you are on a VBAC journey yourself or a maternity care provider listening in.
Please feel free to connect with Michelle on Instagram @michelleparis.mitchell
~ PATREON ~
Please consider joining our Patreon if you would like to show your support for the podcast from just AUD $2.00 a month:
https://www.patreon.com/vbacbirthstories
~ AFFILIATES ~ Access discounts with our amazing affiliates:
Birth Time film: USE DISCOUNT CODE: CICADA20 https://www.birthtime.world/a/2147503775/Eb2Kfvxt
Partum Panties: USE DISCOUNT CODE: Vbacbirthstories https://www.partumpanties.com.au
The Birth Store: USE DISCOUNT CODE: VBAC https://thebirthstore.com.au
~ Notes ~
Doula & Osteopath: Bonnie Maplestone https://www.bonniemaplestone.com.au
Birth Photographer: kateleephotography.com.au
VBAC Australia Support Group (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=vbac%20australia%20support%20group
Post Natal Depression/Anxiety support: If you or anyone you know is affected by PND symptoms particularly at this time of COVID-19 please don't hesitate to contact the following support networks.
The Gidget Foundation https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/,
PANDA https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/pandas-national-perinatal-anxiety-depression-helpline
Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
**VBAC Birth Stories features women's lived experiences. It is not intended to replace medical advice. Should you have any concerns during your pregnancy please always consult your healthcare provider.
Please connect with us on Facebook or Instagram: @vbacbirthstories
More from VBAC Birth Stories
In this episode we chat to Sydney mum of two Rachel who experienced an unmedicated VBAC in a private hospital setting after going through 35 hours of labour. Following her caesarean Rachel went on to experience poor postpartum mental health and reflects how her first birth unfolding the way it did could have contributed to those feelings.
In this episode we speak to Adelaide mum of two Rosalie about her two births. Rosalie underwent IVF and speaks about the unique challenges women in same sex relationships face when dealing with healthcare. Her first birth was an emergency caesarean which followed an induction for having a macrocosmic baby and being post-dates. Rosalie was very well educated about birth and was planning a public hospital funded homebirth before she was 'risked out.' She knew about the cascade of intervention yet she was coerced into a procedure that she did not want. This coercion was the catalyst for her birth trauma and PTSD.
Today we have the honour and pleasure of chatting to Hazel Keedle once again on the podcast. Hazel is a lecturer at Western Sydney University and midwifery researcher who has primarily focused on women’s experiences of vaginal birth after caesarean and is now a lead researcher in the Birth Experience Study- the largest study on women’s experiences of maternity care in Australia. Since we last spoke Hazel has completed her PhD and is now an author with her newly released book Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth. We spoke to Hazel way back in Season 1 and you can find this interview by searching for our 7th episode. In this episode we cover: The inspiration for the book Birth After Caesarean: Your Journey to a Better Birth and what readers can expect to gain from reading it Interesting preliminary observations from data collected from The Birth Experience Study Survey which had almost 9000 respondents Feminism and birth and the impact of social media Impact and importance of continuity of midwifery care Encouraging words of advice for midwives and student midwives navigating fragmented care in our Australian maternity system + much more Follow Hazel at these locations: Instagram: @hazelkeedle Facebook: @VBACmatters https://www.facebook.com/VBACmatters Twitter: @HazelKeedle For links to papers, events and more: https://linktr.ee/hazelkeedle Buy the book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/vbac-book Stay tuned for a GIVEAWAY of Hazel's book Birth After Caesarean for VBAC Birth Stories listeners :) Be sure to be following the pod and Hazel on social media.
In this episode we chat to Shelley, a mum of two from Adelaide. Shelley reached out to us shortly after having her baby because she wanted to share the unique circumstances surrounding her first birth and VBAC. Shelley lives with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Genital, it is classified as a type of STI, and because of the stigma this carries Shelley could not find any stories from women who have navigated pregnancy and birth with this condition.
Amielia is a 21 year old Djab Wurrung woman and this week we would like to share her birth stories in celebration of NAIDOC week.